If you have ever had to setup VPN over Windows XP, you may have faced the issues I had. I am going to introduce a FREE VPN solution here in my post.

In Windows XP, we got two issues for VPN.

• The very first one is limitation of one concurrent users connecting to the VPN Server which is a Windows XP.
• The second one is in PPTP which the IPSec Traffic, I think IP Protocol 47 if I remember correctly, is not routed in some of ISPs and this makes you stop getting PPTP worked. The other solution on Windows XP is L2TP which is also hard to implement and again you got the first issue.

So, whats the solution if you want to run one in an environment like mine?
One solution is using the mediated peer to peer solutions like Hamachi. After you connected properly to your peer on your desired network in Hamachi, there you go! You got some invalid IP of class 5.x.x.x in which you can route the network traffic as you could in any other method. But I faced two issues using Hamachi also:

• The first one was the fact that, the Hamachi server might go down anytime; so you will loose your connection.
• The other issue was the fact that in my ISP, the Wireless solutions, UDP traffic is not routed properly. Not only Hamachi but also I have tried some RTP traffic and they have also had some issues.

The solution that am using for the a month or so, is OpenVPN.

OpenVPN is a cool VPN solution on Linux/Windows in which it uses not only regular user-based authentications (which I think you can connect it to AD or things like that), but also you can generate certificates preventing users authentication or even both modes! I have used certifications and it has worked really nice, not sure about the user authentication. There are pretty cool install guides on their site for Linux platform, but no proper one for Windows. You might use the guide I used for Windows here.

I should admit, OpenVPN made the secure room I was looking for a long time. Try it!

 

Many mcts professionals have compared the actual test of mcitp to the basic 70-290. This is the reason why students who clear 640-802 have an extra edge.

 

 

Microsoft has started beta testing software that will take its Web e-mail onto the desktop. This week, Microsoft served up the first test version of Windows Live Mail Desktop, a free Windows program that will let users manage multiple e-mail accounts. The software is designed to work with Windows Live Mail, the successor to Hotmail that is also in beta testing. Read More . . .

BRUSSELS — March 30, 2006 — In submissions that will be made available to the European Commission today, six technology companies state that Microsoft’s technical documentation is useful and helpful. The companies say they have successfully used that documentation to develop and release interoperable software products to the marketplace. Read More . . .

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The European Union's top competition regulator has warned Microsoft Corp it won't be allowed to sell its new Vista operating system in Europe if it comes pre-loaded with certain features, the Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday.

In a recent Fortune interview with Steve Ballmer, the newer kinder Microsoft CEO is not only ready to take on the videogaming, search, music download and mobile markets - but he’s also laying down the law in his own house. Steve says that his kids are not allowed to use Google or have an iPod. Read More . . .

Scott has pointed out to some of pretty nice ASP.NET 2.0 online video tutorials.

The Microsoft Management Model Designer (MMD) is a tool for developing management models. Management models provide a way to represent all of the areas of manageability for applications and systems services.

Speaking in Dallas, Texas at the Microsoft Business Solutions Group’s 10th annual customer conference, Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates discussed how Microsoft is delivering the next generation of business value by combining business processes with personal productivity and online communities. View it here.

If you would like to be of the first viewing Google's new UI, find it out here.

This program will export the flash memory card inside the smartphone as usual USB Mass Storage device (ordinary "usb disk") - effectively turning smartphone into flash reader (albeit USB 1.0 only, and not very fast).

DALLAS — March 26, 2006 — Today at Convergence 2006, the Microsoft Business Solutions Group’s customer conference, Microsoft Business Division President Jeff Raikes outlined the future of the Microsoft Business Division and how it is delivering on a vision of roles-based productivity that combines people and processes to enable the people-ready business. A core component of this strategy is Microsoft Dynamics™, a line of integrated, adaptable business management solutions. Microsoft Corp. demonstrated recently shipped solutions and upcoming 2006 releases that deliver on its Microsoft Dynamics product road map, first introduced at last year’s conference, reinforcing its strategy to deliver breakthrough innovation through a series of transformational releases in an iterative, nondisruptive manner. Read More . . .

These Microsoft Office Visio diagrams show the logical database structure for Microsoft CRM 3.0.

It was my dream having ADSL connection here in Tehran even one year ago. I used DATAK IP Wireless for about 14 months. Now it has been a month that I have switched to their ADSL service and one week ago got a 512/512 from them. I wish them being able providing x mbps connection within the coming year.

I was just checking geekswithblogs and saw this post. It reminded me informing Iranians who are reading my blog that DATAK Telecom, the premier broadband connection provider in Iran, will be offering WiMAX in near 2 months.

Fresh on the heels of a delay in broad availability of Windows Vista, Microsoft confirmed late Thursday that it is also pushing the mainstream launch of Office 2007 to next year. Read More . . .

The Microsoft CRM 3.0 SDK is for developers, system customizers and report writers. It contains the following sections:

• Server Programming Guide - A guide for developers writing server side code, custom business logic, integration modules, workflow assemblies and more. This guide provides an architectural overview of Microsoft CRM, the entity model, security model, Web services, and sample code.
• Client Programming Guide - A guide for developers customizing the Web client or the Microsoft CRM client for Outlook, including scripting, integration of custom Web pages, and sample code.
• ISV Programming Guide - A guide for independent software vendors (ISVs) developing installable add-ins for Microsoft CRM.
• Report Writers Guide - A guide for developers writing reports for Microsoft CRM using Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services Report Designer.

Microsoft is planning a management shake-up in its Windows division and will appoint Steve Sinofsky, currently head of the company's Office division, to oversee Windows development, according to a source close to the company. Read More . . .

Scott pointing out a question on Open Source. Is it a crap idea?

You are the other one wants to know the delay means? Another Microsoft Monitor Article.

Microsoft is now planning to deliver business versions in November 2006 and the consumer versions in 2007. Read More . . .

Microsoft is now planning to deliver business versions in November 2006 and the consumer versions in 2007. Read More . . .

REDMOND, Wash. — March 21, 2006 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that GoDaddy.com®, the world’s leading domain name registrar, is transitioning approximately 4.5 million Web domains to be hosted on the Microsoft® Solution for Windows®-based Hosting. Upon completion of the migration, Go Daddy® will have moved all its parked domains from Linux to the Windows platform. Read More . . .

Wish you all THE BEST in the new 1385 Persian Year :)

This download contains the agile process guidance that will be shipping with Visual Studio Team System. MSF for Agile Software Development is a scenario-driven, context-based, agile software development process that utilizes many of the ideas embodied in Team System. This process incorporates proven practices developed at Microsoft around requirements, design, security, performance, and testing. This new release introduces the new Team Model, Mindsets, and Principles. It also contains many clarifications of the activities.

An MSDN Magazine article on how to use Windows Workflow in ASP.NET.

As expected, hackers have found a way to run Microsoft Corp.'s Windows XP operating system on new Macintosh computers, winning an ad hoc contest and a $13,854 cash prize to boot. Read More . . .

An MSDN Magazine article on how to use Windows Workflow in ASP.NET.

This download includes the MSF for CMMI® Process Improvement process template (process guidance only), which is a highly iterative, adaptive planning, agile software development process which meets the requirements for the Software Engineering Institute’s (SEI) Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) level 3 and provides a smooth transition all the way to level 5.

SyncToy v1.1 is available as a free download on the Microsoft Download Center. The easy to use, customizable application helps you copy, move, rename, and delete files between folders and computers.

The goal of this document is to give ISVs and other developers an opportunity to provide feedback on the Windows Vista Logo Program for software. Future drafts will contain more implementation and testing guidance. This document outlines the proposed requirements for the Windows Vista Logo Program for Software and is not a specification of the final requirements. Any requirements listed here may not be required for the Windows Vista Logo program, and additional requirements may be added at a later date.

How to maintain state between virtual directories?

Lawrence Lessig is describing his experience with an spam email for PayPal authentication page... We all have seen one of those spam emails, but is Microsoft the one who can save the net? Why not email servers do something for that preventing it from the very beginning? IMO, there should be some way to prevent spams from the very root... But who knows when it comes, but we all are assure that it comes one day...

Kris Horrocks introduces some of the new features of BizTalk Server 2006. See demos of the all new BizTalk Administration Console and Group Hub Page, as well as technical demonstrations of new core engine features like recoverable interchanges and end-to-end ordered message delivery. You can get it here.

Here you can download Microsoft's Standard of Business Conduct. Why do they have such a thinng?
"As responsible business leaders, it is not enough to intend to do things right, we must also do them in the right way. That means making business decisions and taking appropriate actions that are ethical and in compliance with applicable legal requirements. As we make these decisions, Microsoft's values must shine through in all our interactions. The Standards of Business Conduct are an extension of Microsoft's values and reflect our continued commitment to ethical business practices and regulatory compliance. By following the guidance provided in this publication, we are acknowledging our individual and collective responsibilities to manage our business activities with integrity as we pursue our mission of enabling people and businesses throughout the world to realize their full potential."

The pictures of Origami Project have been leacked. Here is one:

In a huge shift, Microsoft is moving to per-user pricing for ERP. The goal of the planned transition from per-module pricing is to put its wares on a comparable footing with SAP and Oracle offerings, sources said. Read More . . .

For a limited time, you can get a free second shot at any Microsoft IT Professional, Developer, or Microsoft Dynamics (formerly Microsoft Business Solutions) Certification exam. Just register for this offer before your first exam, and you'll get two chances to pass. But this offer won't last forever, so register now.

Windows Vista won't have a backdoor that could be used by police forces to get into encrypted files, Microsoft has stressed. In February, a BBC News story suggested that the British government was in discussions with Microsoft over backdoor access to the operating system. A backdoor is a method of bypassing normal authentication to gain access to a computer without to the PC user knowing. But Microsoft has now quelled the suggestion that law enforcement might get such access. Read More . . .

As general manager, business strategy, for the Information Worker Group at Microsoft Corporation, Alan Yates develops and guides new business initiatives for the Office products group at Redmond. While we await the release of Microsoft Office 2007, promised to hit our shelves before the end of 2006, Yates dismisses open source rival Open Office.org 2.0 as being 10 years out of date. Read More . . .

Microsoft® Codename Max is is your opportunity to try a new, exciting and constantly evolving experience from Microsoft. Today Max lets you make beautiful photo slideshows to share with your family and friends. And it recently began showing you the latest news updates from around the world. What will Max do next? Stay tuned!

Microsoft® Windows® Small Business Server 2003 is designed for businesses like yours. It is a complete, affordable network solution that helps you stay connected with your customers and run your business more efficiently. And it helps secure your network by automatically protecting your information to keep your business up and running. More . . .

MICROSOFT'S Head Vole in Europe, Neil Holloway, says that in six months time Microsoft will be more important than Google in the US market place. Speaking at the Reuters Global Technology, Media and Telecoms Summit, Holloway, who is Microsoft president for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said that Vole is planning a better search engine than Google. Read More . . .